SAD 29 schools opening next week, kindergarten and pre-K to follow

    Schools in SAD 29 will open for students from Hammond, Houlton, Littleton and Monticello on Wednesday, Aug. 25. All teachers and support staff will report on Monday, Aug. 23, between 7:30 and 8 a.m., to the Houlton Junior-Senior High School for an in-service day.
    The pre-K program for 4-year-olds will begin with a visitation day on Monday, Aug. 30. Parents and students may visit between the hours of 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. Regular pre-K classes start on Tuesday, Aug. 31.
    Parents who are interested in the pre-K program should contact Houlton Elementary School or Wellington School for further information. All parents and students in grades pre-K through 12 should contact the principals’ offices to register new students for school.
    All-day kindergarten at Houlton Elementary will begin with a visitation day, held on Wednesday, Aug. 25. Parents and students may visit between the hours of 9 a.m. to noon. Regular classes for kindergarten begin on Thursday, Aug. 26. Kindergarten students at Wellington Elementary will follow the same schedule as those in grades 1-3. Bus transportation will be provided.
    Students in SAD 29 attend the following schools: pre-K to grade 3, in Houlton and Hammond, attend the Houlton Elementary School. The principal is Candace Crane and she may be reached at 532-2285.
    Students from Littleton and Monticello, from pre-K to grade 3, attend the Wellington School in Monticello. The principal is Nancy Wright and she may be reached at 538-9495.
    All students in grades 4-6 attend the Houlton Southside School. The principal at Southside is Jason Tarr and he may be reached at 532-6027.
    All students in grades 7-12 attend the Houlton Junior-Senior High School. The principal at the high school is Martin Bouchard, assistant principal is Dawn Matthews, and the guidance director is Hollie McPartland. Parents may reach anyone at the high school by calling 532-6551.
    Office hours for all schools in SAD 29 are from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. during the school year.
Affirmative Action officer
    The Affirmative Action officer for the District is Dawn Dougan. She may be contacted at 532-6555 on school days. Her office is located at the Superintendent’s Office. The office is open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
    Parents and legal guardians have a right to review their children’s records and to have copies supplied to them upon request. All student records are available to authorized persons through the principal’s office in each school and at the guidance office at Houlton Junior-Senior High School.
School meal program
    The cost for lunch in grades pre-K-3 is: $2. The cost for lunch in grades 4-12 is $2.25. The cost for breakfast for all is: $1. The cost for milk is: 30 cents.
    Applications for free and reduced meals will be sent home during the first week of school.
Bus routes
    Bus routes in SAD 29 will be essentially the same as in the past year. Students in grades 7-12 who live in Houlton may board a bus at the following locations: South and Brook streets, Columbia and Brook streets, Garrison Hill and Military Street, Smyrna Street beyond the railroad bridge, Franklin Avenue and High Street, Bowdoin and Maple streets and the Roger Randall Developmental Center on Green Street.
    For students in grades 7-12 within the Houlton town area, there will be no regular transportation at the close of the day.
    Safety for students riding the district’s buses is of paramount concern to the drivers and school administrators. SAD 29 buses are equipped with video recorders. Tapes will be viewed only in the office of the Superintendent of Schools should a disciplinary question arise.
    Parents and guardians should notify their child’s building principal by telephone and in writing, if necessary, concerning any physical condition which would require special attention or limitation of activities.
    “SAD 29 believes in working with parents/guardians to provide the best educational program within our resources for each student. Staff wish to have all parents/guardians feel welcome to contact either teachers or administrators when they have questions or concerns about our children’s programs. Education succeeds best when both the parents and the schools are working together for the success of each individual student,” said Acting Superintendent Peter Edgecomb.